Composition for making duplicate phonograph-records.



No. 782,375. PATENTED PEB.14,1905.

' J. W. AYLSWORTH.

COMPOSITION FOR MAKING DUPLIGATE PHONOGRAPH RECORDS.

APPLICATION 131L111) NOV. 3, 1903.

V I Inventor:

Patented February 14, 1905.

V UNITED. STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JONAS W. AYLSVVORTH, EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, ORANGE, NEWV JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMPOSITION FOR MAKING DUPLICATE PHONOGRAPH-RECORDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,37 5, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed November 3,1903. Serial No. 179,729.

phonograph-records obtained by any suitable process from a matrix or mold; but the composition has been gotten up especially for making duplicate phonograph-records obtained by the process described in patent to Miller and Aylswortl1,No. 683,615,dated October 1, 1901,

and wherein a suitable mold carrying on its metric shrinkage suificient to clear the engagbore the negative representation of the record to be duplicated is immersedin a molten waxlike coagulable material, which forms a coagulated layer of the desired thickness on the bore of the mold, after which the material is reamed out internally while warm and the resulting duplicate removed by shrinking diametrically and removing the same longitudinally from the mold, its ends being finally finished. The desirable properties or characteristics of my improved composition are such, however, that it may be effectively utilized for the manufacture of duplicate phonographrecords obtained by means of any process wherein material in a molten or plastic condition is introduced into a matrix or mold and is allowed to setor is expanded therein so as to take an impression, being removed by diaing surfaces.

A composition suitable for the purpose should have certain peculiarities, which I have been able to secure only after long experiment. In the first place, the composition should be very limpid when in a molten or plastic state, so as to flow into intimate engagement or contact with the record-surface, and thereby permit a very sharp impression to be received. It should be free of decomposition products,

which would otherwise result in the generation of gas, forming bubbles, which would destroy the commercial character of the record-surface. It should be of excessively-fine texture or grain, so as not to produce extraneous sounds when the reproducer rubs over it. It should be very hard when set, so as to reduce wear as much as possible, due to the tracking of the reproducer. It should have the capacity of passing from the liquid to the solid state through an intermediate condition of gradually-reduced plasticity, to thereby enable the duplicate to shrink internally and toward the surface, so as not to clear the mold until quite hard, to thereby preserve the record, instead of chilling very rapidly at the surface to form a relatively hard film, which'tends to sh rink away when quite hard by a reduction in its temperature. It should have a very smooth and polished surface, so as to eliminate foreign noises due to the tracking of the reproducer. It should be free from air and gas bubbles, which if present at the surface would destroy the commercial character of any duplicates containing them. It should shrink uniformly without warping, so as to be capableof effective use with standard talking-machines. It should not be afiectedby moisture, so as to be preserved in damp climates, and it should have a high melting-point, so as not to soften in hotlocalities. When hot.itshould be capable of being cleanly cut in reaming without dragging or chipping, so as to present a smooth clean surface on the bore of the duplicate. Preferably it should be of a very dark color to permit imperfections to be better observed. It should be perfectly amorhence is especially adapted for use in this art.

In describing my improved composition and the process which I prefer to follow in compounding the same I shall refer to preferable proportions of ingredients, to preferable steps or procedures in the process, andto preferable temperatures, all based on actual practical experience in this art; but it will be understood that in these respects considerable variations may be made, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing, which shows in perspective a phonograph-record having inscribed thereon the names of ingredients which are preferably used in the preparation of my invention.

In making my improved composition I prefer to proceed, therefore, substantially as follows:

I first take one hundred pounds of commercial stearic acid, which, as is known, is generally a mixture of stearic and palmitic acids. and melt the same in a suitable galvanizediron caldron or other vessel at a temperature of about 240 Fahrenheit. The stearic acid used melts at about 136 Fahrenheit. Care should be taken to see that the stearic acid is substantially free from oleic acid, as well as from mineral acids, salts, glycerin, and undecomposed fats, as tallow, &c. It should also be free from mucilaginous substances and hydrocarbons. When the stearic acid is fully melted, I then add to the same a water solution of carbonate of soda and aluminate of soda, obtained, preferabl in the following way: I first dissolve twenty-one and a half pounds of recrystallized sodium carbonate, in a suitable steam-jacketed caldron of about twenty gallons capacity, in ten gallons of water, and I add to the solution four hundred and fifty-two grams of caustic soda of the best grade of the commercial article. When all is dissolved, I add one hundred and seventy five grams of metallic aluminium, preferably in the form of pieces about three inches by twelve inches squareand twenty one-thousandths of an inch in thickness, When the metal is added to the solution, I turn off the heat and allow the metal to-dissolve, which takes place inside of three hours. When all the metal is dissolved, the solution is filtered while still hot in a filter-press or in any other way. In adding the alkaline solution to the melted stearic acid I gradually raise the temperature of the latter so as to correspond with theincreased melting-point of the mixture.

The alkaline solution is added as rapidly as possible without unduly running the temperature down or causing excessive boiling or foaming. The solution can be added quite rapidly at first; but toward the end it must be added very slowly. The addition of the alkaline solution to the stearic acid results in the production of stearates and palmitates of soda and of aluminium, the latter being metallic soaps or metallic salts of fatty acids. During thesaponification which thus takes place water is driven off. At the end of the operation the temperature will have gradually run up to about 360 Fahrenheit. I now add to the molten metallic-soap mixture twenty-one and thirty-six hundredths pounds of a very hard wax, preferably carnauba, the latter consisting of a mixture or combination of the higher fatty acids and alcohols. The carnauba-wax used should be as clean as possible, and it may be purified by melting the same with an equal weight of water, heating by a jet of direct steam and boiling for a short time, then drawing off or evaporating the water, after which it may be poured into pans, where it is allowed to cool into cakes suitable for weighing. When the carnauba-wax is added to the soap mixture, the temperature of the mass is raised to about 450 Fahrenheit and maintained until all foaming ceases, which usually takes about five hours. By thus subjecting the mixture to a relatively high heat a combination is effected between the alcohols of the carnauba-wax and the excessive stearic acid present in the metallic-soap composition, forming a hard wax-like compound ether, which gives to the composition many of its desirable characteristics. Unless the carnauba-wax is heated materially beyond its meltingpoint, resulting in the reaction referred to taking place, the composition, although harder, is very brittle and shrinks excessively and is'therefore not so desirable as when the high heating is effected. Furthermore, unless this is done there is greater likelihood of decomposable products remaining in the composition, affecting the character thereof and resulting in the production of bubbles in the surface of the resulting duplicate.

After the treatment of the molten material at a high temperature has been eflected and all foaming has ceased I add twenty-one and thirty-six hundredths pounds of ceresin thereto, although other hydrocarbon waxes may be employed, such as paraffin or ozocerite. The purpose of this latter ingredient is to make the mixture non-hygroscopic and also less brittle than it otherwise would be. When ceresin is used, its melting-point should be, preferably, about 14:53 Fahrenheit, and in any event as high as can be obtained, and it should present a fine grain on fracture and should be free from paraffin.

For the purpose of darkly coloring the composition a suitable-amount of fine pure lampblacksay from .9 per cent. to three per cent. thereof'or other suitable inert finely-pulverized pigment may be added to the molten mass at any stage of the operation. Preferably, however, the coloring-matter is added together with the carnauba-wax.

After the ceresin is added and thoroughly incorporated with the mixture the congealing temperatureof the latter may be regulated by adding free stearic acid thereto. In using the process described in the patent to Miller and Aylsworth, before referred to, I prefer to adjust the congealing-point of the mixture at about 290 Fahrenheit, since excellent commercial results have been secured at that temperature. I find that in dealing with temperatures above 290 Fahrenheit the ad dition of one per cent, by weight, of stearic acid effects a 'drop of about Fahrenheit in the congealing-point. Obviously this regulation of the congealing-point of the mixture depends upon the special process which is to be followed in making duplicates, and where the congealing temperature is not important no attention whatever need be paid to its regulation. The material is now strained,

preferably through open muslin, and is ready for use.

While I prefer caranuba-wax, as described, yet I find that beeswax and Chinese Wax and palm-wax all contain alcohols somewhat similar to those of carnauba-wax andby which substantially similar reactions take place: These materials may therefore be substituted for the carnaubawax, but always at a sacrifice in the desirable condition of the resulting products.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows!- 1. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a metallic soap and a hard wax added thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a metallic soap and carnauba-wax added thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mixture of metallic soap, a hard wax and a non-hygroscopic ingredient, substantially as set forth.

4. Acorn position for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mixture of a metalhc soap, a hard wax, and ceresin, substantially as set forth.

5. A com position for phonograph recording-v surfaces, comprising a mixture of a metallic soap, carnauba-wax and a non-hygroscopic ingredient, substantially as set forth.

6. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mlxture of a metallic in all cases to make use of,

5 soap, carnauba-wax and ceresin, substantially as set forth. a

7. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mixture of a metalllc soap anda Wax-like compound ether, substantallic soap, 'a hard wax and lampblack, sub-- stantially as set forth. I

12. A composition for phonograph recording-surfaces,comprising a mixture of a metallic soap,carnaubawax and a black pigment, substantially as set forth.

13. A composition for phonograph recording 'surfaces, comprising a mixture of a metallic soap, carnauba-wax and lampblack, sub stantially as set forth.

14;. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising 'a mixture of a me-' tallic soap, carnauba-wax, ceresin and a black pigment, substantially asset forth.

15. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mixture of a metallic soap, carnauba-wax, ceresin and lampblack, substantially as set forth.

16. A composition for phonograph recordingsurfaces, comprising a mixture of a metallic soap, a wax-like compound ether, anda black pigment, substantially as set forth.

17. A composition for phonograph recording-surfaces, comprising a mixture of a metallic soap, awax-like compound ether and lampblack, substantially as set forth.

18. A composition for phonograph recording-surfaces, comprising amixture ofstearate of soda, carnauba-wax, and a non-hygroscopic ingredient, substantially as set forth.

19. A composition for phonograph record ing-surfaces, comprising a mixture of stearate of soda, carnauba-wax and ceresin, substan tially asset forth. 7 1 V 20. A composition for phonograph record: ing' surface's, comprisinga mixture of stearate of soda, carnauba-wax anda black pigment, substantially as set forth.- 1

21. A compositionfor phonograph. recording-surfaces, comprising a stearate of soda,

22. A composition for phonograph recordof soda, stearate of alumina, carnauba-wax, ing-surfaces, comprisingamixture of stearate ceresin and lampblack, substantially .as set of soda, stea'rate of alumina, and carnaubaforth.

Wax, substantially as set forth. This specification signed and witnessed this 5 23. A composition for phonograph record- 29th clay of October, 1903.

ing-surfaces, comprisinga mixture of stearate T of soda, stearate of alumina, carnauba-wax JONAS AYLS ORTH' and lampblack, substantially as set forth. \Vitnesses:

24. A composition for phonograph record- FRANK L. DYER, IO lng-suriaces, comprising a mixture of stcarate WILLIAM A. DOLAN. 

